信貸危機10年來美國對金融機構罰款超1500億美元

Financial institutions have paid more than $150bn in fines in the US relating to the credit crisis, passing a significant milestone a decade aFTer it became clear American subprime woes had become a global problem.

在美國次貸困境明顯變成一個全球問題10年後，金融機構已在美國支付了超過1500億美元與信貸危機相關的罰款，由此達到一個重大里程碑。

Ten years ago this week, France’s BNP Paribas barred investors from accessing money in funds with subprime mortgage exposure, citing a “complete evaporation of liquidity”. The date — August 9, 2007 — is pegged by many as the moment the financial crisis began.

10年前的本週，法國巴黎銀行(BNP Paribas)禁止投資者取出投在具有次級抵押貸款敞口的基金中的錢，聲稱“流動性完全蒸發”。那一天——2007年8月9日——被很多人視爲金融危機的開端。

Financial institutions have largely recovered from the Great Recession that followed, but the crisis profoundly reshaped economies and markets, and the effects on politics and society are still being felt. Dealing with banks’ alleged misdeeds from the era also remains unfinished business.

如今金融機構基本上已經從那之後的大衰退中恢復過來了，但金融危機從根本上改變了經濟和市場，現在人們仍然可以感受到它對政治和社會的影響。追究那個時代銀行被指控犯下的不當行爲，也仍然是尚未完成的任務。

The public outcry for accountability ushered in an era where the US government was willing to penalise financial institutions sharply, yet most crisis-related actions were civil rather than criminal. Much of the public remained unsatisfied because few bankers went to prison.

公衆呼籲問責開啓了美國政府願意大力處罰金融機構的時代，但大多數與危機相關的行動都是民事、而不是刑事的。很大一部分公衆仍然不滿意，因爲幾乎沒有幾位銀行家入獄。

A trio of multibillion-dollar settlements with European banks this year has netted $19bn for the Department of Justice and regulators, including $5.5bn paid by RBS of the UK last month — taking the total over the landmark figure.

今年與歐洲幾家銀行達成的3宗數十億美元和解，爲美國司法部(DoJ)和監管部門帶來了190億美元，其中包括上月英國的蘇格蘭皇家銀行(RBS)認罰的55億美元——使得總數超過了上述里程碑式數字。

A single bank, Bank of America, has paid more than one-third of all recoveries to US authorities, according to an analysis by the Financial Times. Its $56bn in settlements with state and federal regulators and the DoJ cover its own mortgage sales and actions by two companies it acquired, subprime mortgage lender Countrywide and broker Merrill Lynch.

英國《金融時報》(Financial Times)的分析顯示，美國銀行(Bank of America)一家支付的罰款佔美國當局得到的賠償款三分之一以上。該行與州級和聯邦監管部門、以及美國司法部達成的總值560億美元的和解，覆蓋了它自己的抵押貸款銷售及其收購的兩家公司——次級抵押貸款機構Countrywide和經紀商美林(Merrill Lynch)——的行爲。

JPMorgan Chase, which acquired Bear Stearns and Washington Mutual, has paid the second-largest amount, with $27bn in fines and relief.

收購了貝爾斯登(Bear Stearns)和華盛頓互惠銀行(Washington Mutual)的摩根大通(JPMorgan Chase)，支付了270億美元的的罰款和救濟，認罰金額位列第二。

The FT analysis of fines against banks, rating agencies and other institutions covers conduct ranging from the faulty underwriting of mortgages, improper foreclosure practices and discriminatory lending to the mismarking of auction rate securities. The bulk of the $150.1bn total — $89.1bn — was to settle allegations that institutions misled buyers of securities backed by mortgages.

英國《金融時報》對銀行、評級機構和其他機構的罰款的分析，涉及了從不當承銷抵押貸款、不恰當的止贖操作以及歧視性的貸款，到對拍賣利率證券的錯誤標記。總額1501億美元罰款的大部分——891億美元——用於解決有關金融機構誤導抵押貸款支持證券的買家的指控。

New cases related to the crisis are still being filed and investigations continue, suggesting the $150bn total could grow. Barclays is fighting a DoJ lawsuit alleging it misled buyers of mortgage-backed securities.

與金融危機相關的新案件仍在不斷髮起，調查還在繼續，似乎表明1500億美元的總額可能會繼續增加。巴克萊(Barclays)正在與美國司法部打官司，後者指控其誤導投資者購買抵押貸款支持證券。